Method

1.

To make the pastry, put flour and salt in processor and blend in chilled butter until resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the centre, knead in sugar and egg until a smooth dough forms. Transfer onto a lightly floured bench and knead briefly. Place pastry between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll to 8mm thick. Place rolled pastry in the fridge to chill.

2.

To make apple and pear filling, place the pear, apple, raisins, lemon juice, caster sugar, liqueur, cinnamon, vanilla and ¾ cup water in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine, then cook through for 12 minutes or until fruit is softened but still firm. Remove the pan from heat and set aside to cool. Place hazelnuts and brown sugar in a small food processor and blend to a coarse crumb, set aside.

3.

To make apple and rhubarb filling, melt the butter in a frying pan over low heat. Add rhubarb, apple, sugar and cinnamon. Cook for 3-4 minutes until apple softens. Transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with almond meal. Cool. Combine almond meal with icing sugar, set aside.

4.

To make apple and caramel filling, place the apple in a pan with butter and 4 tablespoons water. Place over low heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are soft and the liquid has been absorbed. Cool slightly then stir in the caramel sauce. Mix almond meal with cinnamon sugar, set aside

5.

Baking pies, grease 1x 10”, 1x 8” and 1x 6” (all 3” high) round, spring form cake tins and lightly dust with flour. Line base and sides of tins with set pastry ensuring the pastry is above the tin edge by 10-15mm. Cover base of 10” pie bottom with blended hazelnut/sugar and fill with cooled apple/pear filling. Cover base of 8” pie bottom with mixed almond meal/icing sugar and fill with cooled apple/rhubarb filling. Cover base of 6” pie bottom with mixed almond meal/cinnamon and fill with cooled apple/caramel filling. Pie fillings should be slightly higher in the centre than the sides. Egg wash the inside top of the pastry on all. Cover pies with additional pastry, folding and pinching towards the centre and around. Use the egg whites to wash the tops of the pies and stab 3 holes in the top, at least 30mm away from each other. Bake small 8” pie for approx. an hour, 10” for 20 minutes longer and 12” for another 20 minutes longer again, cover tops with foil if it browns too quickly. Let pies stand in pans for 5-10 minutes and if permitting, remove tin sides, brush with egg wash and return to oven for a further 10 minutes.

6.

To make the decorations, use the leftover pastry, make some leaves using a 1” leaf cutter, a tree (will need a support to hold up) and a 12” ladder (2 long strips, with small strips as rungs in between – egg wash to stick and cover) bake until lightly golden. Assemble carefully and decorate by brushing the backs of the leaves with apricot jam and stick around pies. Cut a hole in the top pie to suit the tree and carefully place in/on.

Notes

This recipe has not been edited or tested by the Bake Off Food Department